Paper cores are cylinder-like tubes made of cardboard or paperboard. They have a strong and rigid structure and are hollow at the center.
Their design and structure make them useful in the printing and labeling industry. Here are the various ways manufacturers use them in the printing and labeling industry:
Strengthening Core Integrity
These cardboard tubes are strong and can withstand external pressure. They act as support structures for rolled materials. Manufacturers wind rolls of printing paper, vinyl, or labels around paper cores. This keeps them compact to facilitate easy handling and transportation.
Cores come in different sizes and thicknesses to accommodate the different types and weights of materials rolled.
The heavy-duty cores with large radii are for industrial-scale printing and packaging. The smaller ones are suitable for lighter materials which are used in office settings and small-scale operations.
Optimizing Printing Process
In flexographic printing, manufacturers mount plates on cylinders which are then placed on paper cores. The stability provided by the cores contributes to consistent printing quality and registration accuracy. These factors help in producing high-quality resolution images and text.
In digital printing, manufacturers feed rolls of materials into the printer’s paper core to hold and guide the materials throughout the printing process. This is beneficial in on-demand printing scenarios where customers require quick turnaround times and accuracy.
Streamlining Labeling Applications
Manufacturers make product labels in roll form. They wind the labels around paper cores. They will load the rolls into labeling machines for application onto products. The use of cores in labeling reduces downtime between label changes.
New rolls can be loaded easily onto machines without significant interruptions to production. The uniformity achieved through automated labeling improves brand presentation and product identification.
Facilitating Thermal Transfer Printing
Thermal transfer printing depends on the transfer of ink from ribbons onto various substrates, including labels and packaging materials. Paper cores are indispensable in this process as they hold the ink ribbon in a tight wound configuration.
This prevents the ribbons from unraveling contributing to consistent ink transfer during printing. The cores used in thermal printing have specific core diameters and surface smoothness for optimized printing performance.
Large core diameters reduce the frequency of ribbon changes. This improves operational efficiency. The smoothness of the cores minimizes friction for seamless ribbon feeding which prevents printing defects.
Improving Tension Control and Web Handling
Paper core strength and stability help provide uniform tension across the web (rolled material). A strong core prevents deformation and collapsing which leads to uneven tension and affects the quality of the finished product. The grooves, coatings, or treatments on cores prevent spillage and wrinkles in the web which can affect print quality.
Managing Color and Calibration
Paper cores can be made in different colors or coded using bands, stripes, or markings. These color coding schemes help identify and organize rolls based on specific criteria such as the product type and production batch per customer order.
Calibration indicators on cores provide guidance for aligning and calibrating printing or imaging equipment. Aligning the calibration marks with corresponding marks on the machine operators can produce precise color registration and alignment for consistency and accuracy across multiple print runs.
Integrating With Automation and Robotics
In modern printing and labeling paper cores seamlessly integrate with automation and robotics systems. Automated handling and paper loading of cores into printing or labeling machines optimizes production workflows. This may help reduce labor costs and improve the efficiency of the operations.
Seek the Right Paper Cores Manufacturer
Paper cores play a key role in the printing and labeling industry. Their versatile design and functions make them a useful component. They help to automate processes and increase operational efficiency for various printing services. Find a reliable paper core manufacturer today.
